From the Ship

Over the course of 104 days, Peace Boat’s 102nd Global Voyage is circumnavigating the world whilst visiting 23 ports in 21 countries. A critical facet of Peace Boat's voyages are the guest educators who come on board to deliver lectures, host events, and facilitate workshops connecting their own experience and expertise to the initiatives of the global peace and sustainability community. The 102nd voyage was grateful to welcome a diverse set of individuals participating in anywhere from a few days to several weeks of programming.

Renowned peace activist and former US Colonel Ann Wright joined Peace Boat's 102nd Global Voyage as it travelled from Honolulu through Latin America.

The ship’s first port of call of was Honolulu, Hawaii, introduced to participants through the instruction of Mr Tak Wada, a Japan-born alumni of Hawaii University now residing on Hawaii’s Big Island. Through lectures on the history of Japanese immigration to Hawaii and local history and culture, participants were able to thoughtfully prepare for their first destination. Joining the voyage from Honolulu, retired U.S. Army colonel Ann Wright spoke of her decision to resign from a diplomatic role in the U.S. government in opposition to the country’s war in Iraq and shared her ongoing involvement in peace activism. Upon arrival in Hilo, Hawaii, Ms Wright accompanied participants to the protest site of a proposed observatory on the sacred land of Hawaii’s tallest mountain, Mauna Kea. Also on board at this time was guest educator Ann Mayeda, who recounted her experience as a visiting scholar at the Kathmandu University School of Education researching best practices for empowering both students and educators, especially women and children, to take ownership over their education.

Mr Yamashita, who was 6 years old when Nagasaki was targeted by an atomic bomb, told participants: "I feel that it is important to keep alive the memory of the suffering, devastation, and death that nuclear weapons can cause in the hope that no one will ever use them again.”

Member of the Caracas Municipal Orchestra joined the voyage during its Central American passage through the Suez Canal. Whilst on board, these talented musicians gave many performances and workshops, as well as recounting their experience as alumni of "El Sistema", a Venezuela-based social movement that aims to connect children and youth with strong social networks free from violence or drugs by providing free musical education. Hibakusha (survivor of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki) Yamashita Yasuaki, who has lived in Mexico since 1968, was six years old when an atomic bomb was dropped on his home city of Nagasaki in 1945. Now 80, his active speaking schedule included the sharing of his testimony with Peace Boat participants.

Participants onboard Peace Boat joined an art workshop led by actor and activist Azuma Chizuru, sharing their creative visions in drawings made by eco-friendly chalk made from discarded scallop shells.

As the voyage traveled northbound towards Canada, participants welcomed actor and activist Azuma Chizuru helped participants to express themselves through drawing with eco-friendly chalk made from discarded scallop shells. Ms Azuma founded the non-profit Get in Touch in 2011 with the goal of creating a “Mazekoze Society” – a mixed, diverse society where no one is excluded or left behind. Get in Touch leads various initiatives to raise awareness for minority groups such as Japan’s LGBTQ+ and autism communities. Finally, director of Vancouver’s Peace Philosophy Centre Satoko Oka Norimatsu shared a series of lectures and workshops combining her practical knowledge of such topics as peace and justice, historical memory and war responsibilities, human rights, military bases and nuclear issues in East Asia and in connection with the US and Canada.

For information about guests joining the second half of the 102nd Global Voyage, click here.

While sailing towards the Canadian ports of Montreal and Quebec, Peace Boat welcomed guest educator Satoko Oka Norimatsu, Director of the Peace Philosophy Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia.